Moving to the Canary Islands

[atlast]

Are there standard longer rental periods? What I mean is, could we rent for five months, or would most places require a six month mnimum?

[DUCC]

There is no standard rental period as such. You could also sign up for any period both sides may agree on.

There are other provisions on maximum periods (max. 1 Year for a "trial" period and a five Year maximum of any rental agreement.) These provisions are to protect tenants. The Spanish laws strengthen the tenant's rights considerably. Another reason, why many landlords are reluctant to let. However, I don't believe that this will affect Your plans.

[atlast]

Thank you. I like the idea of moving somewhere for a limited period of time, then trying someplace else. I think maybe we saw retirement in a pretty rigid way, that you retire and move somewhere and there you stay.

[Tasha Kirby]

Originally Posted by xlaser

I worked in a Las Palmas school for a couple of years and was on the same pay as you guys. Property rental will be your greatest expense as will travel back and forth from Canada. You will trade in a comfortable but highly regulated lifestyle in Canada for a liberal relaxed outdoor existance with enough money to live comfortably, but don't expect to save much. Las Palmas does have many cloudy days and can be cool, but you will never need the heating on!

Thanks for your response! I am curious to know what school you worked for as my husband and I will be working for The American school of Las Palmas.

[Tasha Kirby]

Originally Posted by DUCC

Hola Tasha,

from 45.500 Euros gross the deductions for personal income tax and social security would be approx. 20%. The cost of living on Gran Canaria are more or less comparable to those on mainland Spain. Food e.g. is 10-20% more expensive, however, due to the special tax regime on the Canaries many other products are very cheap: Alcoholic beverage, cigarettes, gasoline. Heating is (nearly) free and cooling is only required during few days of the year. Clothing is very light and casual. You save a lot there as compared to Middle Europe.

However, there are not only strong climate differences, e.g. if You are living in the mountains or in the northern (Canarian, rough, metropolitan, rainy, cooler) or southern part (touristic, wilderness, beaches, hot, arid) of the Island.

The average salary of a local amounts to approx. 900 Euro net.

Actual prices for housing are:
+Rent per square meter 7,30 Euros (ranges from 5-15 Euros, depending on the location, the view, proximity of beaches, road access, age and condition of building etc.)
+ gasoline per liter 70 Eurocent
+ Telefone, ADSL Internet per month, landline 40 Euros flatrate, CP 25 cent/minute
+gardener, plumber or similar 10-15 Euros/hour
+return flight to Tenerife (cheap tariffs for residents o all ferries and planes) 30-70 Euros/person
+1 liter premium Whisky 15 Euros (excellent local brandy 8 Euros)

As a family of three with a 170 sqm house in the relatively expensive south (Maspalomas) we need approx.
600 Euros/month for food&beverages,
90 Euros utilities incl. water
+ car 150 Euros/month all inclusive (a car is must on the Island)
+private health insurances (highly recommended) 50 Euros

+ in your case a nice house or appartment, fully furnished, close to beach with seaview, two bedrooms would cost approx. 800 Euros/month.
It will be very difficult, to find a house or apartment in advance e.g. through the internet. It is very recommended first to book into one of the many apartment hotels (from aprox. 15 Euros/day) for 2 or three months and then search locally. Rentals are scarce in some areas, since buying is much more common.

Under the bottom line a net income of 2500 Euros will already allow a decent middle class standard of living of a two person household.

We love it here and I hardly know of anyone resident from Canada or Middle Europe, who wants to go back.

Hop to see You around soon as "vecinos"

Saludos de Gran Canaria
Bill

Thank you for taking the time to respond so thoroughly!!! We are happy to hear that we will not be too poor living in Las Palmas. We are looking forward to our new adventure.

[DUCC]

Any time & keep me posted. Bill

[Goldberg]

Canaries seems a popular post and many others will have the same questions, please keep contributing.

[pgilon]

Hello! I am looking into working at The American School of Las Palmas.. how do you like it? ANY information would be great!!! Thanks!